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Festivals, Public Art, Drama & Dracula: What We're Working On This Season

Summer and early fall are busy times here in the Canary Promotion office. We might find time for a dip in the pool, but mostly we spend our summers preparing for the onslaught of incredible fall arts and culture offerings in and around Philadelphia.

Less than a month after managing the media relations campaign for the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe, which brought over 200 shows to the city in September, we dove right into PR for October’s DesignPhiladelphia, presenting over 150 events exploring all aspects of design. Canary staff was out and about nearly every night experiencing cutting-edge performance, art and design events that took place in just about every corner of the city.

We also recently wrapped up work on a project that brought a remarkable new work of public art to the city, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ new Lenfest Plaza. We worked with PAFA to promote the opening of this new civic space and their commission and installation of Paint Torch from iconic American artist Claes Oldenburg. On Oct. 1 we joined the community to celebrate the plaza’s opening and watched the inaugural lighting of Paint Torch. Media placements included a feature in the Wall Street Journal, a slide show on The New York Times website, and an interview with Mr. Oldenburg on NPR’s All Things Considered.

Philadelphia has seen several projects from last year’s Knight Arts Challenge Philadelphiawinners taking shape. We’ve been working with Knight Foundation to promote the second round of this three-year, $9 million initiative. Everyone can apply and the initial application is only about 150 words. Submit your best ideas for the arts by Monday, Oct. 31 at midnight!

Lantern Theater Company has a hit on its hands with New Jerusalem, The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656 by David Ives, directed by Charles McMahon. Now extended for a second time through Nov 12, catch the show before the final dates sell out, and learn more about Spinoza and this absorbing and thought provoking play in these features from Jewish Exponentand The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The 9th Annual Dracula Festival is going on now at the Rosenbach Museum & Library and culminates with Dracula D.I.Y., a free crafting event for all ages on Oct 29 from 3–8 p.m. Stop by and participate in a range of Dracula-inspired do-it-yourself activities and check out Bram Stoker’s original research notes and outlines for Dracula, the novel.

There’s plenty to see and do at Woodmere Art Museum. Visit the Owl’s EyeHayMaze through Oct. 30, and enjoy Friday Night Family Happenings and the Music at Woodmere series weekly through Dec 23. While you’re there, see the current exhibitions Mary G. L. Hood and Philadelphia Modernism and Flirting with Abstraction (on view through Jan. 8) – and read the stellar exhibitions review in The Philadelphia Inquirer.